SAS vs Studio

[rugerpc]

Ever since the Studio came out, I have been wondering... How much difference is there between the SAS and the Studio.

They share so many specs: 22 frets, 25" scale Pattern Regular neck, PRS Tremolo, PRS Phase III Locking Tuners, Nickel hardware, PRS Narrowfield pups in bass and middle positions, volume knob, 5-way blade pickup switch, V12 finish, apparent identical body shape and control positions.

Differences: the SAS is bolt on maple (instead of mahogony with a Swamp Ash body ( instead of maple over mahogany). The Studio has a 57/08 instead of a Narrofield in the treble position and a push pull tone knob.

There should be obvious differences in the treble pup, but does the rest add up to big differences or nuance?

 

[Twinfan]

SAS - Superstrat type tone, Fender-style
Studio - LP type tone, Gibson-style

Quite a big difference in "twang"...

 

[slev]

Probably have to agree with Twinfan. Owned a Studio and played an SAS and that's generally my impression. I would add that the Studio can cover quite a bit of Strat tone territory especially in position #2 (with bridge coil tapped) and #4.

 

[rugerpc]

Probably have to agree with Twinfan. Owned a Studio and played an SAS and that's generally my impression. I would add that the Studio can cover quite a bit of Strat tone territory especially in position #2 (with bridge coil tapped) and #4.

Aaaaaarrrrrrrggggghhhh..... Now I'm confused... Is the studio STRATy or LPy??

I have a couple of pre-narrofield SASs, so I know what they sound like. But I haven't played a narrofield SAS nor a Studio.

 

[slev]

Aaaaaarrrrrrrggggghhhh..... Now I'm confused... Is the studio STRATy or LPy??

Yes...That's what a lot of us Studio fans like about it. It's also what some on either end of the spectrum don't like. It's a great guitar that you can coax a lot of different tones out of. The NFs will never give you the LPesque HB neck tone but you can get close and the stock 5708 tapped will never give you a strat tone but you can get close. That's why I think it does those in between tones very well and it definitely has it's own voice as well. I'll leave it to some one else to compare my thoughts on the Studio to an SAS. I just haven't spent enough time with one to say for sure.

 

[Dancing Frog]

The Swamp Ash Studio is the super strat variant of the SASNF. The SASNF has generally more warmth and clarity than an SAS. The Narrowfields are in between a singlecoil and a humbucker in tone. Some have claimed that when you roll back on the volume the NF's are like single coils, but I find them to be closer to P90's. Between the SASNF and the Swamp Ash Studio, I find the Swamp Ash Studio superior in tone and feel. The 5708 in the bridge position adds just the right amount of beef to the SAS-NF tone, and the pattern regular neck is more comfy the wide fat on the SASNF.